Movable roadway.



PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

I. D. SMEAD. MOVABLE ROADWAY.

APPLIoATrIoN FILED MAY 24, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.I

311 van tot t l ,l l. NA M n m w 9 E f n n 1M, m m m 1 a w w ,a M x F M y. D E QU m K M im? I D SMEAD MOVABLE ROADWAY. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1904.

4pik 1e ses No. 812,374. v PATENTED FEB. 13, 19.05. .1. D. SMBAD.

MOVABLB ROADWAY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q' D# E MMX M 3 MOQMMMM No. 812,374. PATBNTED FEB. 13, 1906. 1. D. SMBAD.

MOVABLE ROADWAY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 No. 812,374. PATBNTBD FBB. 13,1906.

I. D. SMBAD. -MOVABLE ROADWAY.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY M 1.904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

` TED STATES isAAo D. sMEAD,

ATENT which.

MOVABLE ROADWAY. l

l' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed May 24, 1964. Serial No;` 209.554.

- To @ZZ whom t may concern/.'-

' roadway,

Be it known that I, IsAAo D. SMEAD, a citi- Zen of the United States, -residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Roadways, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to improvements in movable roadways, the consti'uction and advantages of which will be'hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the annexed drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the movable ortions of the supports and the like being broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the mechanism, showing one of the auxiliary driving devices or motors; Fig. 4, a pers ective view of a section of the movable p atform as seen from the under side; Fig. 5,

.a similar view showing the upper'face thereof; Fig.' 6, a perspective view of one of the plates or members of which the driving or sprocket chain is composed; Fig. 7, a llongitudinal sectional view thereof; and Fig. 8, a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the driving mechanism, showing a modification of one of the auxiliar devices or motors.

The main object o my invention is to provide means for transporting loaded vehicles from one point to another, particularl from the base of a hill or incline to the top t ereof.

A further .object is to so construct the a paratus that a lloaded team or vehicle may e driven or drawn onto `the movable carrier without causing any vdamage to said carrierand Iwithout subjecting the team or its attendant to liability of injury.

Another object of the invention is tolessen. the amount of work required of the main driving-engine to a considerable extent and likewise relieve the connecting members of the platform from undue strain, which would ,be produced were the power for moving the same applied at one point only. r .These ends are accomplished by the use ofmeans distributed throughout the length of the movable platform for aiding or assisting in driving said platform'.v f

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a simple embodiment of my invention, though it is manifest that the construction tom of the incline or hill, `while the upper loop or bend is placed at the crest of the hill.

The upper stretch of the platform may lie flush with the street or roadwayl or be laced upon an elevated structure-such, or instance, as that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings-or the entire belt may be flush with the road, all machinery being under ground when there are no streets to be crossed. Disposed throughout the length of the path of travel of the latform is a series of auxiliary motors, whic as before noted, apply power to the platform at various points throu hout its length. Saidplatform is compose of a series of sections or bars hinged together and provided with means whereby it may be engaged by the main motor and the auxiliary motors. Each section is also provided upon its under face with one or more'rolls, which serve to support the' 'up er stretch of the platform, and with tracllgs or railslocated upon each face thereof, one series' of tracksi serving likewise to assist in supportin the upper stretch of the roadway or plat orm, w ile the other series or that upon the upper face of the sections serves to support the return or under stretch during its reverse travel or descent.

In the embodiment of the invention shown -in Figs. 11 to 7, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings, A denotes a shaft located in a pit B, formed at the lower end of the incline or hill, said shaft 4carrying suitable drums or sheaves C to properly' -su port the movable,

-reaches the latter the wagon will crowd slightly upon the horses, thus preventing the team from being subjected to undue strain or` Jar. y shown,a wall E will be constructed at each side of the latform, so that entrance thereto can be ha only from the driveway D. A

With an elevated structure, such as` ICO Staatl@ railing F or other' protection will be orm upon each side of the elevated structure in order to prevent any possibility of -teamsl or vehicles passing off the platform except at the upper end thereof between the walls G.

A power-house H is preferably located at the upper end of the incline or hill, said house being built beneath the elevated structure, orthe-driving mechanism may be located inV a pit if the elevated structure be not employed.

It is of course' not essential that the'main" engine be 'located at the upper end or stretch of the platform, though this arrangement is adopted inthe Cconstruction shown.

The drivingmechanism comprises 'an' engine jI, which' through suitable intermediate gearin imparts rotary movement -fto vthe shaft Said shaft carries suitabledrums-or sheaves' K', around which'the -upper end of the articulated platform passes. An'incline'L,v provided'with suitable rollers M upon its up^ per-face", is'locat'ed' adjacent to the drums or,V sheaves K-and serves to'deilectand guide-the underio'r returnV stretch of themovable3 platform' toward drumsv N, which are mounted upon a shaft O, the latter by preference-bef ing alsodriven by the'engineI.

After travelingover thedrurns'N the platform: passes onto a series-of rollers P P', lo-l" cated'at close intervals throughout the entire" returnI courseofftheplatform.- As will be seenup'on'referenceto Fig'. 2, each roller AP is grooved, andthe track-section Q, whichl is se`y cured to the outer face'of theplatform mem-1f beriR, asses into 'the groove in *said Toller. The rol e'rP, onl the other 'handy Iis provided* with a 'flatfac'al and the track-sectionQ/sim-- ply bears thereon. Under-this construction= th'e platform "-will vbe guided by the rollers `P PandvtracksQ Q', all binding'b'eing obviate'd.' Secured to the' op-positefa'eeJ of thesections R of which the platform ispomposed' are rollers S and Si the rollers'Sbeinggrooved similarly torollers P and rollersS having flat bearing-surfaces similar to' those of vrollers P. These rollers S and- S rest uponvk l' tracks T and T', which extend-beneath the? uplpe" Stretch ofthe platform from the drums- C to drumsK. Tracks U and U are also secured upo'nthe under face ofthe `platfor'i'n sis.

and beary upon rollers V V, located in linetherewithandsecured to the beamsof the elevated structure, as will be most clearly seen'liv on referencel to Fig. 2.

Eaclipair' of sections' R is'provided with a driving memberof' the forrn'shown in Figs; 4, 6, and 7, said member having a base-plate W, onwhich-are mounted ytwb crossebars or "lugs X and Y,which, as shown in'Fig. 3, ass

into recessesformed in the 'under face o' the members R; These lugs, in conjunction with the'bolts which are passed through the baseplate, securely holdthe driving members to the platform. Each driving member is proA-` vided ywith upright flanges a, intermediate which and at the mid-length thereof is provided a tooth b. At one end of the member and in line with the space intermediate the flanges is an outwardly-extending perforate lug or projection c, the upright face d thereof serving as a driving face or tooth. The opposite end of each flange ais curved', as shown in Fig. 6, and'between these curved portions the lug c of the adjacent driving member is passed and secured by a pin e. These members when connected together form, in effect, a sprocket-chain,v which is securely fastened to theunder orinnerface of :the platform. Thischain will bepassed' around a suitablel driving-sprocket mounted uponthe shaft J though', if so-desired, the sprocket-drive may be=omitted at this point and a friction-drive relied upon. It is obvious that 'any form of -linkwhich' will properly connect thel parts and serve as a means for driving the platform may be employed.

As before noted,- vauxiliarymotors arev placed at intervalsrthroughout 'the length of theplatforr'n-'toassist in moving the same; In* Fig'. 1 two such auxiliary motors are shown, though of course any number may bey employed.v In-said'iigure the main stretch. or inclined portion of ithe platform yis broken away; but it' will be understood 'that the lengthof the same will' govern the numberof auxiliary-motors employed. In Figs; 2 and 3 an auxiliary motorfis shown', which comprisesa sprocket-chain f, passing about sprocket-wheels grv and h, the shaft vor support t' forthe'former beingA mounted in adjustable I boxes y', so as to enable the'- proper tension -to beput upon the chainsv Topro'perly guide and position the chainf; the upperistretch'of-wln'ch is broughtinto contact with the teeth of the connecting f members ofthe platform, -two curved guides n ythex frame ofelow` the -u per or supports c are securedu thel Istructure immediately stretch of saiddriving-chain f. As wi bev seen upon reference to'Figs. 2 and'S, rollers l, which are securedy to the outwardly-3X1 tended endsl of the pivotsof the" drivinfrchain, bear upon these guides c and -proper y position the teeth of the sprocket-chain f with reference to lthe teeth of the connecting members of the platform. By this'arrangement the strain -ls distributed over a number of teeth, both of the driving-chain f andf those upon the under face of the platform.

Beneath the lower stretch of the chain f are su ported two guides m, upon which the rol ers' Z bear. These guides relieve the .sprocket-wheels from a certain amount of weight to which they would otherwise be sub- 'ected and also prevent the chain (should it ecome slack for any reason) from. interfering with the return stretch of rthe platform which is passing beneath thc same.

IIC

.also the main drive atan rangement sug ested this-can be readily accomplishedfan the platform again put m motion. f

Itis to be understood, of course, that any other form of auxiliary drive may be employed in,connection with this apparatus, that shown being merelyfillustrative. It is likewise .apparent that instead of employing one series of connecting members forthe various` sections of the platform two or more se- :ries may be em 'loyed,jbeing engaged by motors similar to t ose already described.

Itis to be noted that the connectin members hereinbefore described indetail ave a three-fold function, namelyzThey form a pivotal connection' between the cross bars or members of the -platform anda chain which connects the various members of the platform throughout itslength and also serve as a means for driving the platform at the main station or power-'house and at various auxiliary points throughout the course of travel of the platform..

In Fig, 8 a modication of the invention is shown wherein the lower stretch of the movable platform engages the auxiliary drivechain and assists 1n vmoving said chain, provided, of course, the parts are in an inclinedposition. To effect the desired result, the drive-chain Z passes beneath the guide-plate m', which carries it down, so that the teeth or projections of the links are engaged by the teeth upon the movable platform. This construction is advantageous whether the road be used on a level or in an inclined position,

inasmuch as it will assist in drivin the hori zontal stretch ofthe movable plat orm.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaimisv 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an endless platform; means for supporting the upper stretch of the platform throughout its length; means for supporting the lower stretch thereof; a main `motor for driving the platform; anda series of auxiliary chain-motors arranged at various points in the length of the latform, said chain-motors 'engagin both t e upper and lower stretches of the p atform.

2. In an apparatus "of the character described, the combination' of an endless platform; a main motor for driving the same and an auxiliary motor comprisingan4v endless chain provided with engaging teeth or pro. jections,`said auxiliary motor being located at a point intermediate the loops or ends of the platform and en aging the upper and lower stretches thereof.

3.' In an apparatus of the characterV de' scribed, the combination of an endless platform; means for supporting the upper stretch of the platform throughout its length; means for supportin the lower stretch thereof; a main motor for drivin the platform, said motor being located ad]acent to the loop or end of the platform; and a series of auxiliary 'chain-motors also employed for im arting motion to the platform, said aux'i iary motors being located at points intermediate the loops ory ends of the platform and engagin the upper and lower stretches thereof,

su stantia y as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an endless platform; a main driving-motor; a series of auxiliary driving-motors and means for starting and stopping the various motors in unison.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an endlessplatform; means carried by one face of the latform for supporting the upper stretch t ereof throughout its course of travel; track mounted upon the opposite face of the plat form; and a support 'acting in conjunction with said track to sustain the lower stretch of the platform throughout its len th.v

6. In an apparatus of the c aracter de. scribed, the combination of a suitable support; an endless platform comprising a series of jointed sections; means'se'cured to the'under face of said sections for properly supporting and guiding the platform throughout the length of its u per stretch; means upon the outer face of t e platform for properly supporting and guiding the lower stretch thereof .during its course of travel; and -a'motor for driving the platform. y

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a suitable support or framework; an endless platform comprising a` series of sections pivotally connected together; means for drivin said platform; a series of 'rollers S, S upon t e inner face of the platform; tracks T, T mounted upon the framework in line with said rollers; tracks U, U likewise secured upon the inner face of the platform; a series of rollers V, V in line with.v

said tracks U, U; tracks mounted upon IOO IOS

I'ro

IIS...

the outer face of the platform; and rollers P,

I in line with said last-named tracks. 8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an endless platform comprising a series of sections; a series of driving members secured to said platformsections and pivotally connected to each other; a main motor for driving said platform; and a seriesyof auxiliary motors disposed throughout the lengthy of the platform,

saidlmotorsim arting motion to saidiplat-f form through t edrving members thereof.

9. In' an apparatus of the-.character described, thecombination of an endless plat- 5 form comprising a series of sections; drivingmembers secured to said platform and pivotallyl connected to. each-other; a main motor; andan auxiliary motor, said auxiliary 'motor comprising a sprocket-chain, one stretch of 1o which engages With the driving members-sey cured'to the platform, and means for driving' said. sprocket-chain.

10.;In anapparatus ofthe character described,c:the combination of an endless-plat-i r 5 `form comprising a series of sections; driving members secured to said platform and pivotally'connected--to eachother-g a main motor;4 and an auxiliary motor, ,said auxiliary-motor. comprising a sprocket-chain,-means for ho1d i zo ing-the =upper5 stretch vof said chain'in engagement :With the driving members,and means Ifor 4imparting motion to. said sprocket-chain.A

11.1In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of anrendIeSS-plat-I v2 5 form comprising a series of sections; driving members secured to said platforml and pivotally connectedrto each other; a main motor;- and` an auxiliary motor, said auxiliary motor sie,

comprising an endless 'sprocket-chain, means for holding theupper stretch' thereof in engagement -With the drivingfmembers' ofthe platform, means for guiding the lovverzstretchv of the sprocket-chain, and means for imparte ingimotionto saidchain.

12. In an vapparatuswof the character -described, the combination of anendless platform'lfcomprising a series of sectionsg'driving `members secured-to. saidfplatform and pivotally connected-to each other; a mainv motor; and\ an auxiliary motor, said'auxiliary'motor- 4o comprising an endless.sprocket-chain, means for :holding the upper.v stretch thereof 'in' engagement with the driving members of. the platform, means for guiding-the lower stretch of said sprocket-chain and causing the same .45 to engage-.thelower stretch yof-the endless platform,.and means for impar-ting moti-on to said Nohain. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationl in the-presence of 5o twov subscribing witnesses.-

ISAAC D. SMEADJ Witnesses:

A. E. BIEDER,. ANTHONY -KUEFER I 

